House passes bill to release Epstein files
By: Zachary Schermele
Sarah D. Wire
Francesce Chambers
Erin Mansfield
Joey Garrison
and Rebecca Morin
USA Today
WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives on November 18 [2025] passed the Epstein Files Transparency Act, a bill that would require the federal government to publicly release as much information as possible about the late accused sex trafficker, Jeffrey Epstein.
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The vote was a remarkable show of bipartisan force. it also was the culmination of a rare rebuke form congressional republicans of President Donald Trump, whose decades-old ties to Epstein has come back to haunt him. The measure will soon head to the republican-led Senate.
..... The bill passed overwhelmingly despite GOP concerns over protecting the privacy of victims. Trump, who has echoed similar grievances and recently warned Republicans against helping further document disclosures. has indicated he would sign the bill if it lands on his desk.
Schumer: 'Americans are tired of waiting'
..... Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, said on November 18 [2025] that he would immediately try to pass the Epstein files bill bu unanimous consent in the Senate.
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"Republicans have spent months trying to protect Donald Trump and hide what's in the files. Americans are tired of waiting and are demanding to see the truth," Schumer said in a statement. "If Leader Thune tries to bury the bill, I'll stop him."
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The president's about-face came amid mounting political pressure from not only his base, but also conservative lawmakers typically lo path to disagree with the leader of their party. Support for the bill has been steadily growing, despite Trump's past ties to Epstein becoming clearer amid new revelations (the president has consistently denied h known of Epstein's alleged abuse).
..... House Speaker Mike Johnson defended Trump for not ordering the Deportment of Justice to release the Epstein files, saying that he and the president "were intent upon using the processed of Congress."
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Johnson said that the Oversight Committee would have been the appropriate process to getting the files release, saying that it would have been more comprehensive than the discharge petition that was voted on.
..... "We want it to be done the right way," Johnson said. "We want to do it in a way that doesn't jeopardize our legal system and doesn't inflict more harm on victims. And the president is resolute on that, as we have been.
Representative Ro Khanna calls for shunning
..... Representative Ro Khana, the Democrat from California who co-sponsored the bill to force there release of the Epstein files, said people associated with Epstein should not be honored in our society.
..... "There should be no buildings named after these people in the Epstein class," Khanna said at a news conference early November 18 [2025] outside the Capitol building. "there should be no scholarships named after them.
..... Many of the survivors will tell you these people still are celebrated in our society," he added. "That;s disgusting. There needs to be accountability."